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Juliet Simms
Juliet Simms (born February 26, 1986) is a singer/songwriter. She is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the band Automatic Loveletter. Early life Simms was raised by a family of musicians. Her grandfather, Frank Todaro, is a jazz piano player in Aspen, Colorado, an aunt played violin for Rod Stewart, Wayne Newton and Pavarotti. Brother Tommy Simms, of top Florida band Win Win Winter is a producer, singer, songwriter and produced Juliet's first CD. Singing since she was four, writing since she was nine, Simms became a fixture of the local music cafes as a teenager. It was here where the first of 5 major labels who offered her deals, caught a live performance. Automatic Loveletter Automatic Loveletter was formed with Juliet Simms on guitar and lead vocals, Daniel Currier on drums and brother Tommy Simms playing bass and producing, with bassist Sean Noll sitting in on occasion in Tommy's home studio in the Tampa Bay area. The band was first called Stars and Scars and recorded its first rock song together in December 2005, naming the song after the band but written by lead singer Juliet Simms. They also recorded "Tin Lizzy", written by Tommy. Her first 4 songs were produced by the Grammy nominated members of the alternative metal band Spineshank, but Juliet’s melodic rock tunes “The View From Below”, “Changing Skies”, “Old Movie”, and “I Notice” were not the right fit for that production team. Juliet asked the label for a different producer and they brought in studio master Richie Zito, a writer and producer for Elton John, the Motels and Heart, and he and Juliet re-recorded a handful of tracks that immediately garnered wide notice. “Someday” and “Make-up Smeared Eyes” captured the number one spots in three separate genres of the MySpace music charts, where Juliet became a Featured Artist. Her music was subsequently licensed to MTV’s The Real World and Road Rules. Her ballad, “Old Movie” was aired as a closing song on the 2006 season finale of The Real World. Juliet also finally acoustically laid down all of the songs she had been writing over the last three years for consideration for her first major label album. Signed by Allison Hagendorf now host of Fuse TVs "The Pop Show", then working at Epic Records, Juliet went on to form Automatic Loveletter while Epic struggled with the Payola Scandalhttp://musicians.about.com/od/companyprofiles/p/SonyBMG.htm and internal problems finally dropping over 70 bands in 2007. With Allison as Juliet's champion, Automatic Loveletter was not dropped but was also not supported for the next year and 1/2 touring in the drummer's Ford Excursion, making feather hair clips and burning their own copies of the Epic Produced CD with hand painted slip covers to help fund their tours. Automatic Loveletter did record their album in 2007 with producer Matt Squire (Panic at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, All Time Low, Cute is What We Aim For, The Cab, The Maine). "He challenged me and I challenged him," Simms said. "I felt very comfortable and that's when the best of me comes out. The entire time was playful and fun and that's what rock n roll's about to me -- having a good time." Simms took her massive songbook to Squire and narrowed down the right tunes and crafted them to fit together, sometimes taking songs in entirely new directions. "The Answer," for instance, was originally a ballad, but became one of the more upbeat numbers on the album. Daniel Currier and lead guitarist Joe Nelson both played on the album, Sean Noll officially joining just before some of their first tours together and big brother Tommy occasionally touring with the band to play lead, or rhythm guitar in larger venues and outdoor concerts filling up the sound and the stage. But the Squire Album was never fully released, however tracks like "The Answer", "Parker", "August", "Hush" and "Make-up Smeared Eyes" were all released on an EP Recover'" and sold through Hot Topic and on-line distribution. Up to and while touring with 2008 Vans Warped Tour, Automatic Loveletter held #1 or #2 position on the Myspace Music Emo chart for 6 months, hitting 10 Million Listens, hit #2 on Smart Punk for three weeks and Artisan News Reported them as The Next Big Thing.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lIN07ctY3Q&feature=fvsr But after the tour when Epic was scheduled to release the album Automatic Loveletter were told to continue touring and asked by then President Charlie Walk to write more upbeat music. Instead, Juliet submitted a fan favorite "Black Ink Revenge" which was rejected several times for re-write until it became "My Goodbye" one of the tracks off the upcoming Sony release. "I had been signed to Epic for going on three years, toured in cars with my completely broke band and was feeling like I disappointed my fans who had been promised music for over a year so I sat in my room for four days re-writing and re-submitting that song like 5xs. I like "My Goodbye" a LOT but it was the result of a lot of pressure and the desire to get an album released." "My Goodbye", "The Day that Saved Us" and "Let it Ride" were quickly released as another self titled EP just before the final chapter with Epic Records when they fired all the members except Currier before the first headlining tour, held auditions for new members, hired Jacob Fatoroochi, James Bowen and Wayne Miller then half way through the tour called Juliet and told her that all of the pay for the band she was being withdrawn and the band was not being supported anymore. The band went on to sell out venues like the Knitting Factory in LA and San Francisco.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbeCtLUiyHw "It was very liberating. After crying my eyes out for a couple hours I had some of my best shows ever on that tour."June 5 Automatic Loveletter Myspace Blog Almost immediately the band was picked up by RCA and Juliet asked to write for a new album produced by Josh Abraham (Weezer, 30 Seconds to Mars, Velvet Revolver). They released their first full length album, ''Truth or Dare on June 22, 2010. just before heading out on Vans Warped Tour 2010. Discography * LoveHateHero - Just Breathe (2005, vocals on "Theatre of Robots") * Cartel - Cartel (2007, vocals on "Lose It") * All Time Low - So Wrong, It's Right (2007, vocals on "Remembering Sunday") * Secondhand Serenade - A Twist in My Story (2009, vocals on "Fix You") * Secondhand Serenade - Hear Me Now (2010), vocals on "Hear Me Now") * 3OH!3 - Careless Whisper (vocals, with Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low) * Every Avenue - Punk Goes Classic Rock (Vocals on "Take Me Home Tonight", Eddie Money cover) References External links * Juliet Simms' profile at Myspace * Automatic Loveletter's profile at PureVolume Category:People LTJ have played with Category:Links to Wikipedia